NFL LIVE | Texans are a legit playoff team with this defense! – Swagu breaks Texans win over Chiefs
A Booya premieres tomorrow at 9:00 p.m. Eastern time on ESPN, the ESPN app, and Disney Plus. Back to the breaking news coming out of Indianapolis, where the Colts have signed Philip Rivers to their practice squad. The 44year-old hasn’t played in the NFL since the 2020 season. Here’s how the rest of the league is responding. What you just said Tom was playing. Yeah. And never stopped. Stopping for five years and coaching high school ball. It’ll keep you in a little bit of shape, but it ain’t NFL shape. So, I think he’s going to struggle. Mike, uh, you have a 42-y old quarterback. Can a 44 year old who hasn’t played in five years come back and play? Phil River, I have no idea what you’re talking about. Dude, Colts are supposed to work him up. That’s none of my business, man. I’m trying to get ready for the Dolphins. He is the best. And check out our guy Damen Woody posting, “Man, let me stretch my Achilles out and sign me a deal, too, since grandparents are getting signed now.” there. Dwood’s family is about as big as a Rivers family. Not quite there, uh, but many, many, many people in that crew. Uh, the Colts, who are on the outside looking in when it comes to the AF play AFC playoff picture right now, finish this season with games against, how about this, the Seahawks, 49ers, Jaguars, and Texans. Indie is unsurprisingly not favored in any of those four remaining games according to ESPN analytics. Uh, so Dan, what do you make of a grandfather potentially making his first start in five years? in doing so in Seattle of all places. Yeah, very difficult challenge. If Daniel Jones was fully healthy and playing at the high level he did for most of this season. I would tell the Colts if you can go in that four game stretch two and two that would be outstanding. That’s with with Daniel playing at the highest level. Philip Rivers, you know, with a very short body of work coming off of not having played in five years, I think this is near impossible to go in and expect him to play at a high enough level where they can win football games. Do they have perimeter players still? Yes. Alec Pierce and Tyler Warren and Josh DS and a very good run game. Of course, Michael Pitman Jr. too. Yeah, Michael one of Michael Pitman Junior. One of the great things about this offense was how cool and awesome the RPOS’s were. I can’t imagine Philip being capable of operating these RPOS’s at his level or his age the way that they’re designed. And so I just think that this feels like a um a Hail Mary that is unlikely to be completed. Did Can I ask you did they call you first? Can you confirm that? No, I’m 42. You’re a spring chicken for the Hall of Fame. So, I’m not a semi semi violinist for the Hall of Fame. You know what? One day Hall of Fame. That’s right, dude. That was awesome. Last night, we kept my three-year-old up a little bit later than usual last night to get a glimpse of that. A reminder, the Colts again on the outside looking in after losing three straight games as it pertains to the AFC playoffs. And one team they are chasing, the Houston Texans. Oh boy, they beat and beat down the Chiefs on Sunday night. ESPN analytics gives Houston an 88% chance to make the playoffs. The Texans, get this, had just an 11% chance prior to their current 5game winning streak. Dan, the defense gets most of the attention, understandably so. They are nasty. What have you seen that you like from the offense as well of late? So, last week it was the pocket movement by CJ and this is not just last week, but it’s been their trend for a couple weeks now. It’s their sixth offensive lineman offense. Okay, so it’s not just their run game, but I do like the fact that it’s allowing them to be somewhat efficient in their run game. Six offensive linemen, Blake Fischer, the secondyear player from Notre Dame, comes in for the tight end position. I think it allows the double teams to be a little bit more sound, them to at least get the run started. That’s been a huge deal. This past week, they implemented a little bit more of the play action stuff. Why does that matter? Because then one, you can block a defensive end one-on-one with the tight end. That sixth tackle, and then that shores up the five offensive linemen, essentially blocking only three defensive linemen. Gives you the chance to push the ball downfield. Six offensive linemen again down in the the goal line, the red zone, the inside the 5yd line area where so often defensive lines slanted. Tight ends get beat on the inside. Having the body presence just confirms the win at the line of scrimmage. And this is an offense that doesn’t need to be explosive all the time. It doesn’t need to create a ton of big plays. It just can’t be negative play dominant. I think that kind of core part of who they are offensively at least gives plays the chance to get started and then some shots down the field. CJ’s a good enough player to make up for the other parts. I I think their offense is good enough to make a playoff run. Yeah. The best part of this conversation that we having now is that we’re not talking about the interior of the offensive line getting devastated and they’ve created that with to your point Dan I like his nonbuiltin quarterback movement as well. There were several times when he was able to evade pressure, step up in the pocket and make plays pushing the ball down the field. And if you guys remember coming out of college, this was the question that he had until he played late in the playoff game, I believe, and he showed some of this movement. But this is what it’s going to have to be at times for the Houston Texans. You love that he’s back healthy. Play breakdown. He’s able to get outside of the pocket. Chris Jones at times should have had CJ dead to rights, but his athleticism bailed him out on a lot of plays. And these are the type of plays that we all know you going to have to make if you want to make a playoff run like you mentioned, Dan. So, I was very impressed by that. his his poise, but also his mobility and ability to go above and beyond the X’s and O’s and extend plays and make plays down the field with his arm. Yeah, you guys talked about the competence of the offensive. All we need is competence from the offensive line, Dan. The six offensive line them help helps them get things blocked up. Marcus, you talked about CJ making plays outside of structure. Something that I’ve loved is just how relentless they’ve been about attacking the middle of the field. Uh CJ Stout in his last four starts has more inbreakers as a percentage of his throws than any starting quarterback at the moment in football. And on those throws, 42% of his throws are inbreakers. And on those throws, he leads the entire NFL in success rate. He leads the NFL in APA for dropback. He’s averaging 12 yards per attempt. CJ CJ is very good at throwing those balls. And he has two monsters at receiver right now. Like when we think about the identity passing game, the first thing I think about 6’4 Nico Collins, 6’4 Jaden Higgins on those and in the the deep digs, we think about Collins all the time, of course, but even like the slants, the quick stuff, they use their frames to box out smaller defensive backs. You saw that in Kansas City who has good secondary, but they just can’t physically match up with those guys. And to me, that feels like an identity that they can build around. uh because you know this is an offense at the beginning of the year looked completely like it did last season. Now it feels like they’re gaining some momentum. And MK to your point like having both of those big guys, but even in that Kansas City game, there was an opport a few opportunities that they that he had to connect with Christian Kirk that they weren’t able to make happen. But you could see some potential big play stuff that could transpire between both of those guys as well with Kirk in the slot. I think they can be really good offensively, y’all. like it it it starts clicking the right way and they continue to protect CJ. I think this can be a big big play offense. Yeah, they’ve got that fivegame winning streak. Look at the next four games they have to close out the regular season. The Cardinals, Raiders, Chargers, week 18 against maybe the Philip Rivers led Colts. Got much more here on NFL Live and that includes of course Jerry Jones talk as Jerry was absolutely giddy after the Eagles lost. Wait until you hear what he had to say and what Swagoo thinks about the Cowboys chances to in the NFC East could have happened. So they held a private workout for 44 year old Philip Rivers last night and our Adam Sheper says Indie has signed them to their practice squad. You know Rivers last played in the NFL 5 years ago during co for the Colts. All three of the team’s QBs are injured. So now Indie will look towards Old Man Rivers as their starter. Uh our culture reporter Stephen Holder and NFL analyst Jeff Saturday are here with more. So Stephen, I got to start with you on this. Uh you look at it. Daniel Jones Achilles surgery today. Uh AR still on the IR Riley Leonard the rookie has a knee strain. Is it possible that we could see Philillip Rivers under center for the Colts Sunday against the Seahawks? Listen, we are storytellers above all and we have the makings of a potential incredible story here. There’s no question that is on the table. Not for sure, but on the table. As you just outlined, they have three quarterbacks. All of them are hurt to some degree. Philip Rivers, while maybe not in the best football shape, is available and threw the ball well in that workout from what I’m told. And they are not closing the door on any option right now. He is an emergency option for them to be clear, but this may actually be an emergency. So, we will see very shortly what he can deliver if called upon. And I’m here for it. This could be an amazing story with the Colts, by the way, fighting for a playoff spot, which is the carrot here. The the interesting thing is Philip Rivers is looking to get back on the field since really hanging it up in 2021 where he was a full-time family man. Biggest wrinkle in joining the Colts might be really resetting his Hall of Fame clock as he if he uh signs on the active roster. He was eligible to be inducted into the class of 2026. Jeff, give me your reaction to the possibility of Philip Rivers suiting up for the Colts here in the coming weeks. Yeah, listen, this has been painful for every Colts fan and and you you said it, desperate times is desperate measures, right? And and there’s not a lot of great options when all three of yours are already banged up. Um let’s be let’s be real. Well, the Colts went all in when they gave up two draft picks for uh for Sauce Gardner, who goes off with a calf injury, and now Daniel Jones, who they expected to be their long-term starter, goes down. Uh this is a problem. And it’s not just a problem for right now. Like, this regime understands when you go all in and go bust, it’s a problem. So, they’re going to try to figure out whether it’s whether it’s Philip Rivers, whether it’s Riley, whoever can go in and be effective. Um and look, I love Phil. This is no disrespect to Phil, but that Seattle defense ain’t no joke. and and not having any timing with any receiver. Uh the NFL doesn’t just pop off like that quite often. Now, can he go in and battle and do some things above the neck? I think he’s 100% ready to rock and roll. That body at 44 is a little different. Them men over there trying to go hurt you. I Yeah, I worry about I’m not even being funny like I’m like, man, this could get you. Don’t throw a Nolan Ryan back there on the left side cuz my man, you know, you get freaking broke down. And so, uh, hopefully it is an emergency situation and Phil doesn’t have to go in and can just kind of help use his knowledge to help these young guys get ready. Um, but the culture in trouble and they understand it and they’re they’re grasping at all straws. I don’t blame him a bit. As a fan, you whatever we got to do to try to make it, that’s what you want to try to go do. Yeah. Stephen, what about the rookie Riley Leonard? What’s the latest with him and his knee? Look, he hasn’t been ruled out for this week just yet. Tomorrow is a very key day. They’re going to try to push him a little bit and see what he can do. We’ll know more here in the next 24 hours, but they’re hoping he can go, but they don’t know just yet. And Philip Rivers is on the table. All right, Stephen. Appreciate the insight. Jeff, we’ll see you back a
NFL LIVE | Texans are a legit playoff team with this defense! – Swagu breaks Texans win over Chiefs
1 comment
Yup swagu